Congenital Heart Diseases (CHD) are defects in the structure of the heart or in the vessels that pump blood into and away from the heart. CHD are the most common birth defects, affecting 1% of the newborns, of which nowadays ~90% survive intensive treatment in the first months of life. However, these surviving children are prone to develop heart failure and arrhythmia's, both life threatening complications. Hence, there is an urgent need to study mechanisms of heart failure in CHD and find new strategies to strengthen the juvenile heart. Induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomycoytes (iPSC-CMs) have emerged as powerful tools to study cardiomyocytes (CMs), the cellular workhorses of the heart.

We use iPSC-CM models to study the genetic causes of CHD and combine this cell-based model with recently developed powerful 3D-models obtained from tissue explants. We aim to dissect the contribution of the genetic mutation and the stress-based mechanisms to the development of heart failure and develop a repair strategy.

• We are looking for a highly motivated postdoctoral fellow. A background in cell and molecular biology, and experience in tissue culture and iPSC-based technologies and approaches, is desirable.
• You are both an independent researcher and a team player.
• You have excellent communication skills and, since the team is international, you must have a good command of the English language.
• You are good at problem solving and interested in implementing new technologies.

We offer a two-year contract. The gross monthly salary amounts a maximum of € 4.615,- (scale 10), depending on your level of education and relevant experience and based on a full-time working week of 36 hours. The terms of employment are in accordance with the Collective Bargaining Agreement for University Medical Centers (CAO UMC).

Erasmus MC

The Department of Pediatric Cardiology from the Erasmus MC Sophia Children's Hospital is the largest centre serving pediatric patients with congenital heart defects in The Netherlands. The project will be coordinated in this department. Work will be carried out at, and in close collaboration with,the Departments of Cell Biology and Experimental Cardiology at the Erasmus MC